Mechanical toy horse



Aug. 18,1931. -,J. ST. c. KING ET AL 1,819,029

MECHANICAL oy HORSE Filed Sept. 22, 1930 '2 Sheets- Sheet 1 In ueniora A llomey A g- 1931- J. s'r. c. KING ET AL 1,819,029

MECHANICAL TOY HORSE Filed Sept. 22. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (113125; 4/- flfii ravy/ In veniora'i A llomey Patented Aug. 18, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENTVOFFICE ST. CLAIR KING AND WARNER LEE HENDERSON, F TEXAEKANA, TEXAS -1VIEOHANICAL TOY HORSE Y Application filed September 22, 1930. Serial No. 483,672.

This invention relatesto an improved occupant steered and mechanically propelled toy vehicle constructed to form a mechanical horse including appropriately actuated mov- 5 able legs suflicient to support and propel the toy over the surface.

More specifically related, the inventive conception comprehends an imitation horse having a steerable front portion, an occupants saddle, mechanically driven walking legs, and occupant actuated peddling means for producing the desired propulsion action.

The particular details chosen to provide the preferred embodiment of the invention j will become more readily apparent from the following I description and drawings.

In the drawings 2,

Figure 1 is a view in section and elevation,

showing the complete assembly of details.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

. 35, Figure 4 is across section onthe line, 44

of Figure 2. I

Figure 5 is a detail view of oneembodiment of traction roller.

Figure 6 is a similar view showing a different embodiment of the ground engaging 1 traction roller.

v In Figure the reference character 7 designates generally the hollow body of the toy. This is shaped to represent the body portion of a'miniature horse. There is an imitation tail at'S and a suitable occupants saddle at 9. The head portion is indicated generally at 10, and the reins at 11.

The forward portion of the body includes mortises. accommodating upper and lower tenon extensions 12 and 13. The numerals 14: and 15 designate inlaid mounting plates having suitable pivots or trunnions. 16 and 45 17 receivable in appropriate bearing sockets the line -18 to provide a steering connection between the head and body.

The steering operation is produced by pulling 011 the reins 11 in a conventional manner. The numeral 19 designates gen-,

erally the rear leg structure and 20" the front leg'structure. These are mounted on horizontal pivots 21 and 22 respectively. It will be observed that the front leg structure is carried entirely by the turnable head portion 10. This leg structure at the front embodies a pair of upstanding actuating arms 23. The legs are specifically designated by the legs24 and the hoofs at 25.

The rear legs are distinguished by the numerals 26 and hoofs at 27. The rear leg construction is slightly different in that it includes a rocker portion 28 carrying a single upright or standard 29 projecting into the interior of the body. The upper end of the stop 32 being on the body 7. and the stop 33 on the neck Thenumeral 34 designates suitably mounted crank shafts carrying a driven sprocket portion of the head structure wheel 35. This sprocket wheel (Jo-operates with a companion sprocket wheel 36 mounted on the suspension bracket 37 which hangs down from the body'. The sprocket 36 is mounted on a shaft 38 provided with foot pedals 39 designed to be engaged by. the feet of the .driver. The sprocket chain 40 is trained over these sprocket wheels to provide an operating connection between the pedals and the crank shaft 34.

The numeral 41 designates a push-pull connecting link between the crank shaft and the rear leg extension 29. The numeral/l2 designates a push-pull link affording operating connection between the crank shaft and the forward leg extension 23. This part-ic Gil indicated at 51 and the hoofat 52.

ular link embodies a universal joint as at 43 to permit the forward end or head structure 10 to be swung laterally for steering and driving.

At 44, is a bracket mounted on the trunnion 13 and turnable therewith. The upper end of this bracket is bifurcated and the link 42 extends between the furcations. There are two forms of ground engaging means on the hoof as at 25 and 27. In Figure 5 for example, the hoof is provided with a recess 45 and elongated horizontal slots 46 receiving the wheel axle 47. The wheel is designated at 48 and provided with rubber traction tire to engage the traction surface or ground or floor 49.

The forward edge portion of the recess, de-' signated at constitutes a frictional braking surface.

In the modification in Figure 6, the leg'is is formed with a suitable shaped recess in its bottom having an offset pocket 53to accommodate a brake or frictional ball 54 engageable with the periphery of the rubber tired traction roller or wheel 55.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 5, it

is obvious that the foot or hoof moves in the direction of the arrow. The roller 48 rolls freely on the floor or other supporting surface. The axle 47 works in the long slot 46 and turns freely when the motion of the hoof is in a forward direction. WVhen the foot starts in a reverse or backward direction, the

axle 47 moves to the front end of the slot 46, and the tread of the wheel 48 locks itself by friction against the braking surface 50 and the reversing direction is thus stopped.

In the detail represented in Figure 6, the foot 52 moves in the direction of the arrow. The wheel rolls freely on the floor. The locking ball 54 idles in the space or pocket 53 during this time. When the foot .has reached the end of the forward stroke and the crank shaft 34 tends to reverse the direction, and the locked roller or ball 54 drops down into the V-shaped space shown in Figure 6, this looks the roller 55 so that the backward turning thereof is prevented.

. The frictional brake traction rollers. on the bottom of the various hoofs are important to'the mechanical details of the invention.

' Obviously, with this arrangement the forelegs rest onrollers which are substantially concealed from view. The front and rear leg structures 19 and 20 move out and in.

' unison as the horse lopes along. When the forward with the rider seated in the saddle.

front legs are going to the front, the traction wheels on the hoofs idle, but when the legs start back, the rollers are locked frictionally, and this causes the legs to pull the horse in such a manner as to cause the body to lunge At the same time, the rear legs come forward idling, but when the rear legs start The hoof back, the locked rollers in the hoofs causes the rear legs to push the rider and horse forwardly. This gives the rider a sensational effect just the same as if he were r1d1ng a real horse.

to obtain a clear understanding of the in-' vention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a

more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

.Minor changes in shape, size, and rearrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practiceif desired.

We claim:

' 1. In a mechanical toy horse of the class described, a portable structure including a body and head portion constructed to re-r4 semble a miniature horse, the head structure being mounted on vertical pivots on the forward end portion of the body, a saddle on the body, a rear leg structure mounted on leg structures being formed with hoofs and;-

each hoof being provided with a recess, and frictional traction wheels mounted In said recesses for the purpose specified.

2.. In a toy horse of the class described,

7 a horizontalpi-vot in the rear portion of theme a hollow body, aneck and head portion, ver fier) tical pivots connecting the neck and head portions of the forward part of the body to aid in steering and guiding, a leg structure mounted on the horizontal pivot in the base of the neck portion, a rear leg structureiqm mounted on. the horizontal pivot in the-rear portion of the body, a crank shaft mounted in said body and provided with a sprocket wheel, push-pull links connecting the cranks of said shaft with the respective leg strucille tures for operating the structures in unison, a suspension bracket on the bottom of the body, a shaft mounted in bearings therein, a sprocket mounted on said shaft, pedals carried by said shaft, and a sprocket chain trained over said sprocket wheel.

3. In a legstructure for use and association with a mechanical horse of the class described, a leg including a hoof, said hoof being recessed, with one end of the recess con stituting a frictional braking surface, the walls of said recess being formed with horizontally elongated slots,;a traction wheel in cluding trunnions mounted for rotation and slidingin said slots- 4. In a leg structure for use and association with a mechanical horse of the class de' scribed, a leg provided with a hoof having a recess, said recess being counter-cut to provide a pocket, a traction engaging roller mounted for rotation in said recess, and a frictional braking ball in said pocket for co-operation with the periphery of said roller in the manner specified.

1 In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

JAMES ST. CLAIR KING. WARNER LEE HENDERSON. 

